Five Cougars earn preseason Conference USA honors

Conference USA unveiled its preseason football awards, as selected by the league’s coaches, on Wednesday morning and there’s plenty of Houston Cougar flavor present.

UH senior quarterback Case Keenum was tabbed as the league’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year despite missing the final nine games of last year with a knee injury.

Keenum was the 2009 C-USA MVP and 2008 Offensive Player of the Year and he is poised to break the NCAA career records in several categories, including total offense and passing yards.

Keenum was granted a sixth year of eligibility in January. He was named to the All-C-USA preseason first team along with teammates Bryce Beall (running back), Patrick Edwards (receiver and punt returner), Chris Thompson (offensive lineman) and Marcus McGraw (linebacker).

Beall, a senior, is entering his fourth year as a starter and has 2,787 career rushing yards and 32 rushing touchdowns to his name. He was a first team All-C-USA pick in 2010 and was the 2008 C-USA Freshman of the Year.

Edwards, also a senior, posted 71 catches for 1,100 yards and 13 touchdowns last year. He also averaged 15.4 yards per punt return and had a touchdown.

Thompson, a senior, was named to the Outland Trophy watch list and the Rotary Lombardi watch list as was McGraw, who was a All-C-USA second team member last year after recording a team-high 110 tackles.